Object Lesson: On the Influence of Richard Benson

Through engaging interviews, testimonials, and anecdotes from photographers, curators, printers, and colleagues, Object Lesson: On the Influence of Richard Benson pays homage to a legendary figure whose name is synonymous with the evolving history and philosophy of photographic reproduction. From making platinum prints for Paul Strand and books with Lee Friedlander to his own experiments with inkjet and digital offset processes, and as a teacher and dean of the Yale School of Art, by the time of his death in 2017, Benson had inspired over three decades of students and artisans through his mentorship and work. In words and images, Object Lesson stands as a testament to Benson's wit, wisdom, and incomparable obsession with how photographic images render and connect us to the world. Text, image, and interview contributions by Michele Abeles, Marion Belanger, Barbara Benson, Richard Benson, Dawoud Bey, Andrew Borowiec, Lois Conner, Matthew Connors, Tim Davis, Benjamin Donaldson, Dru Donovan, Martina Droth, Shannon Ebner, Lucas Foglia, Peter Galassi, John Gambell, Jon Goodman, Bryan Graf, Gail Albert Halaban, Gary Haller, Heyward Hart, Robert J. Hennessey, Peter Kayafas, Lisa Kereszi, Justin Kimball, David La Spina, John Lehr, Susan Lipper, Salvatore Lopes, Peter MacGill, Tanya Marcuse, Lesley A. Martin, Miko McGinty, Sue Medlicott, Sarah Meister, Paul Messier, Andrea Modica, Matthew Monteith, Abelardo Morell, Arthur Ou, Thomas Palmer, Tod Papageorge, Ted Partin, Bradley Peters, John Pilson, Kristine Potter, Caitlin Teal Price, Sergio Purtell, Jock Reynolds, John Robinson, Jeff L. Rosenheim, Sasha Rudensky, Gary Schneider, David Benjamin Sherry, Steve Smith, Mark Steinmetz, Sarah Stolfa, Ka-Man Tse, James Welling, and Jeff Whetstone

List of contents

Preface 7

Introduction John Pilson 9

Contributions

Michele Abeles 18

Marion Belanger 20

Dawoud Bey 22

Andrew Borowiec 28

Lois Conner 32

Matthew Connors 36

Tim Davis 38

Benjamin Donaldson 42

Dru Donovan 46

Shannon Ebner 50

Lucas Foglia 52

Jon Goodman 54

Bryan Graf 58

Gail Albert Halaban 60

Heyward Hart 64

Robert J. Hennessey 66

Peter Kayafas 72

Lisa Kereszi 80

Justin Kimball 85

David La Spina 88

John Lehr 92

Susan Lipper 94

Salvatore Lopes 98

Tanya Marcuse 102

Sue Medlicott 106

Sarah Meister 108

Paul Messier and Martina Droth 112

Andrea Modica 114

Matthew Monteith 118

Abelardo Morell 120

Arthur Ou 124

Tod Papageorge 128

Ted Partin 132

Bradley Peters 134

Kristine Potter 136

Caitlin Teal Price 140

Sergio Purtell 144

John Robinson 148

Jeff L. Rosenheim 154

Sasha Rudensky 158

Gary Schneider 160

David Benjamin Sherry 164

Steve Smith 166

Mark Steinmetz 168

Sarah Stolfa 170

Ka-Man Tse 172

James Welling 176

Jeff Whetstone 180

Conversations and Writings

Peter MacGill and Barbara Benson in conversation 186

Paul Messier and Thomas Palmer in conversation with Lesley A. Martin and Miko McGinty 197

John Gambell and Gary Haller in conversation with Miko McGinty 207

Peter Galassi 216

Working with Lee Richard Benson 218

Jock Reynolds 240

Contributor Biographies 243

Acknowledgments 246

Summary

Through engaging testimonials and anecdotes from photographers, curators, printers, and colleagues, Object Lesson: On the Influence of Richard Benson pays homage to this legendary Renaissance man and his lasting impact on generations of photography educators and practitioners.

Richard Benson’s name is synonymous with the evolving history and philosophy of photographic reproduction—from making platinum prints for prominent photographers like Paul Strand and books with lifelong collaborators such as Lee Friedlander, to his own experiments with inkjet and digital offset processes. In 1979, Tod Papageorge invited Benson to teach at Yale University’s Department of Photography; together, they shaped one of the preeminent photography programs in the world. Benson would go on to become the dean of the Yale School of Art in 1996. By the time of his death in 2017, Benson had inspired over three decades of students and artisans through his teaching and mentorship. In words and images, Object Lesson stands as a testament to Benson’s wit, wisdom, and incomparable obsession with how photographic images render and connect us to the world.

Includes text, image, and interview contributions by Michele Abeles, Marion Belanger, Barbara Benson, Richard Benson, Dawoud Bey, Andrew Borowiec, Lois Conner, Matt Connors, Tim Davis, Ben Donaldson, Dru Donovan, Martina Droth, Shannon Ebner, John Gambell, John Goodman, Bryan Graf, Gail Albert Halaban, Gary Haller, Heyward Hart, Robert Hennessey, Peter Kayafas, Lisa Kereszi, Justin Kimball, David La Spina, John Lehr, Susan Lipper, Salvatore Lopes, Peter MacGill, Tanya Marcuse, Sarah Meister, Paul Messier, Andrea Modica, Matthew Monteith, Abelardo Morell, Arthur Ou, Thomas Palmer, Tod Papageorge, Ted Partin, Bradley Peters, John Pilson, Kristine Potter, Caitlin Price, Sergio Purtell, John Robinson, Jeff Rosenheim, Sasha Rudensky, Gary Schneider, David Benjamin Sherry, Steve Smith, Mark Steinmetz, Sarah Stolfa, Ka-Man Tse, James Welling, and Jeffrey Whetstone. 

Product details

• Assisted by: John Pilson (Introduction)
• Publisher: Aperture Publishers USA
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 12.07.2022
• EAN: 9781597114950
• ISBN: 978-1-59711-495-0
• No. of pages: 178
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Art > Photography, film, video, TV; Social sciences, law, business; PHOTOGRAPHY / Reference, PHOTOGRAPHY / Individual Photographers / Essays, Individual photographers, Photography: subject-specific techniques and principles